Chapter 46

Chapter 46

They rested again before moving on to the next objective. Turkam was the only one who suffered, but his car was in need of a tune-up after all the abuse he’d put it through.

And then there was a lull.

“I’m impressed, Chief…, I didn’t think you’d blow it like that!”

Tatalia, the rifleman, spoke. Her green eyes, so close to the ground, twinkled with a starry, unnerving intensity.

“It’s unfortunate we didn’t get a shot off, but it was a blast. In my two years in the lab, I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“Of course it’s your first time, dumbass. How many times do you think a reserve agent gets involved in an operation?”

“Shut up and fix the car, Turkam.”

Tatalia shot a sharp look at Turkam, as if what she had just seen was a lie, and then spoke again. Very enthusiastically, even spitting.

“According to that asshole, I could’ve spent two years training in the placenta in the lab…. but no one’s ever taken the bull by the horns like you!”

“That’s not bold, that’s an asshole.”

“Why do you keep beating the candle?”

Discipline was still terrible, and it seemed to have gotten worse since they were arguing amongst themselves.

“It’s annoying, so I’ll leave it alone.

It’s not a mission compromise anyway.

“Whatever! I’d love to emulate you!”

“Uh-uh, come on.”

I patted Tatalia on the shoulder as she started to giggle. Yes, she was giggling. It was a simple tactic that anyone could have come up with.

“It’s pretty much the canonical strategy.

It’s just a twist on the method used in the game. The community calls it a ram rat. The trick is to use the terrain to your advantage.

Attack the pillars on the field and knock them down. Each hit applies a stun to a dangerous player, so you’ll be able to buy yourself some deal time while you chip away.

‘But it’s so physically resistant. It’s not impossible, but it’s a waste of time.’

It was a hassle, so I looked for a simpler route and found the bridge. The lab must have gotten some explosives, so I decided to just blow it up.

‘I’m surprised you didn’t just drown.

In any case, the result was perfect.

“It’s nice to be in a city without people.

We didn’t have to rely on manpower like we did in MetroCity. If there’s a more efficient means than combat, there’s no reason not to use it.

“I’ll save my stamina.

The second danger is that it’s hard to eat them raw, as in this case, so we’re going to have to eliminate them directly. Of course, Kim won’t have much to do next time.

“I know this is right.

As long as you do your job, isn’t that enough?

* * *

Southwest of the Kingdom of Vunes, some 60 kilometers from the border. A ghost town where even the bums don’t exist these days.

A dangerous man made his way through the ash-strewn streets. Kim hid behind a building and watched from a distance.

The forward motion was yawningly slow. Slower than a human pace. It was the last of the eight to arrive at Buness.

And the most damaging.

– Crazy. Up close, it’s even worse.

– Tee, Team Leader. Are you sure this is okay…?

Turkam and Tatalia’s alarmed voices came over the comms.

– Pooh, pooh!

……even the sound of a nervous Shay sneezing.

“You have every right to be scared.

Formally known as Nepenthes. As its name suggests, it is a vegetative mutant, wriggling through dozens of tentacle-like vines.

The tip of the oval leaf reaches up to the roof of a twenty-story apartment building. It made the dangerous tree we’d dealt with earlier look ridiculous.

But the annoying part isn’t the size.

“How many of those are there?

Nepenthes was surrounded by an unfathomable number of monsters. The way they marched in formation made it look like they were escorting Nepenthes, or like some sort of improved procession.

The beasts came in many varieties. Ashwolves, Stitches, and even non-monster wildlife.

Even within their own species, they often fight, but in such a large group, the beasts were eerily quiet.

“I guess I’m being manipulated after all.”

“It’s probably those spores he’s spewing.”

Purple spores float through the air. The team members were all wearing military-grade gas masks, as the drone had identified them beforehand.

– It seems like the only answer is an explosion, sir.

“That’s because I used it up.”

The explosives you brought were used up blowing up the bridge. I can make some non-lethal grenades, but they don’t have enough Chapter.

“It sucked in the game, too.

There are over 200 mobs to deal with. Due to the large population, the specs are weakened, but the annoyance doesn’t change.

Anyone who played at the time has probably gotten stuck here at one point or another. Kim was no different. He was like a wall of no charges.

……That was back in the early days when there was no power inflation. If they reprint it now, I’m confident I can clear it with a secondary account.

“Asterike, I need you to do this.”

This is why we kept Asterique alive when killing the pangolin mutants.

Her spelling is not fuel efficient. They can’t be used in short bursts. She doesn’t regain her full health at the end of each stage like in the game.

So I had to pick and choose the situations in which to use it.

‘It’s funny you should say that to Chelsea, but… it’s not like we’re going to use [Regenerative Fire].

Kim crafted a [Vibranium Composite Sword] and handed it to Asterique. Just like they did in the League, they’d gotten used to each other by now.

“How do I do that?”

“Burn what you see.”

This ignorant instruction was enough. Asterike nodded without complaint.

That’s when the twist happened.

Fushuuu-!

The spores spread rapidly across the city. It signaled that Nepenthes had captured his prey. The brainwashed beasts roared.

“Things are starting to happen. Fight your own battles.”

– That’s called conducting…!

“If you don’t want to get fucked, stay out of it.”

The agents looked semi-panicked. It was better this way. They wouldn’t charge into the middle of the enemy without fear.

There’s only one person here who can do that.

Blame!

Asterique leaped out of the corner. At the same time, flames erupted from her grasp. Fire the color of blood engulfed her entire body.

– Kaaaaaah!

The irrational eyeballs recognized Asterike. The multicolored beast began to charge. It was a furious gallop that threatened to break my joints.

– Me, me crazy!

Turkam’s screams reached Asterike’s ears. It was a sound she would not have heard normally. Spellcasting had made her mind feverish.

But not anymore.

Spells, which he had always thought of as bombs or shackles, could be handled like a limb. It was a huge liberation for Asterique.

Boom!

With a great leap, Asterike landed in the midst of the beasts. The blunt edge of the [Vibranium Composite Blade] crushed the Ashwolf’s torso.

Lava flowed through the cracks in the asphalt, followed by a fountain of fire from the ground.

The ground shook with a tremendous impact. About forty of them. The beasts that had surrounded Asterike from all sides were instantly obliterated.

– ……what the hell….

Kim smiled with satisfaction as she listened to the goofy voice. Asterique was finally showing her true colors.

There is a common terminology in the Polaris community.

Tactical Ast, Ast Drop, and so on. The names vary, but the meaning is the same.

“If you leave them alone, they’ll beat you up.

Unlike the game, I’m staying sane. Ast’s only flaw is gone.

Less Chapter than before, but oh well. It’s not even noticeable against mobs.

“What do we do?”

“I’ll take care of Asterike’s escort, and you… keep an eye on the others.”

“Ugh. What a bunch of deadbeats.”

Chelsea grumbled, but started moving. Rifles in hand. The small number of people made it difficult for him to roll as a sniper.

Kim Yi-hyun also entered the fray. Asterique was mowing down enemies as she came across them. It was perfectly in line with her orders.

The beasts swarmed to stop Asterique. Kim gripped the rifle with both hands and pointed it upward.

Bang, bang!

Stitch’s wings are pierced. A tricky flying beast. I concentrated on helping Asterike to fly comfortably.

In less than three minutes, the number of monsters was reduced to less than half. It wasn’t just the beasts. Nependeth’s vines had caught fire as well.

Bam, boom!

Thick vines lashed out at the buildings around them as if in agony. Kim watched Nepenthes carefully as he struggled.

“Enough of the beast, aim for the vines.”

– Where to start?

“The wielding ones. I’ve counted twelve so far. I think the rest are used to support the weight of the body. I can’t be sure, so be careful.”

– Okay.

Asterike’s attention shifted to Nepenthes. The Pecatum’s body is both strong and flexible, and she leapt over the oncoming vines.

A wide-spreading fire then engulfed the vines. Even as Asterique burned Nepenthes, Kim kept pulling the trigger.

Bam!

A bullet pierced the bat’s head. One by one, the monsters approaching Asterike from the rear fell to the ground. As he fired the last round, Kim looked around once more.

The landscape has changed.

“Have you changed your goals?”

Thirty of them. Bypassing Asterike, the hybrid beasts began to surround Kim. It was clear to see what Nepenthes was trying to do.

“It’s an intelligent entity in its own right.

The Nefendes in the game have an annoying special ability. Agents who die in any way, whether by beast or self-inflicted, don’t disappear from the map, but turn into enemy soldiers.

Humans can be controlled if they’re corpses. Take out and brainwash the relatively weak Kim Yi-hyun first, then kill the menacing Asterique…. It was a reasonable plan coming from the head of a monster.

Once he understood, he let go of the gun.

‘Clear your head and fight…….’

What came to mind was a question and answer session with Westcreek.

Westcreek became Kim’s favorite instructor from the day of the mock battle. His teaching style was completely different from Ghost’s.

It didn’t give me knowledge and know-how that I didn’t already have. Instead, I focused on honing the skills I already had.

– When I say clear your head, I don’t necessarily mean don’t think at all. Fighting on instinct alone is crazy, and only a Pekatum or a genius would do that.

As the saying goes, Kim realized the hard way that fighting an unorthodox powerhouse was a bitter pill to swallow. The Polaris was full of monsters.

There are so many strong players, both foes and allies. Kilikia’s league alone was full of talent.

Meanwhile, what about Yi Hyun Kim.

They’re getting stronger at a rapid pace, but they’re still not good enough. Objectively speaking, they’re mid-table in the second division at best.

You can’t be the mastermind of the battlefield. So I tried to build a hand, design a favorable situation, and set the cogs in motion.

– Someone like you…in the middle of a battle, you’ve got a lot on your mind: what structures are available where you are, if you can connect with your teammates, what your role is in the operation.

– But what do you do when all your strategies don’t work?

For him, Westcreek’s point was something to think about.

– Picture this. You’re standing alone on the battlefield. There are hundreds of enemy soldiers in front of you, but you can’t retreat – if you let them go, your allies engaged in the rear will be surrounded and wiped out.

– Clearly, you’re in over your head. The battlefield is a barren plain. There’s no cover, and no clever ideas will work. You have the option of abandoning your allies, but let’s assume you’re going to fight.

For a moment, I thought this was exactly the same situation, only with far fewer enemies, more cover, and more allies.

At the very least, it will give you some practice.

Kim formed a shield and axe in each hand. He took small steps toward the beasts. It was the kind of behavior that his first day in the Polaris would have thought insane.

As the distance closed, the pounding of my heart increased.

“What else did he say?

Utilizing limited resources. Westcreek explained.

– The things you can think about at any given moment… You have a finite amount of resources. To start with, empty your mind. Don’t think far ahead, just focus on closer and more immediate tactical decisions.

There were always worries that were nagging at the back of my mind.

Next episode. The butterfly effect of foreign intervention. And the underlying anguish of wondering if you’ll ever get back to your old life.

I knocked them all out. It was a good thing for now, anyway.

– You have good eyesight, with excellent fuselage vision, and your vision isn’t too limited in close combat. You’ll probably shine in hand-to-hand combat rather than medium to long range firefights.

The species of beasts are a mixed bag. They vary in speed and strength. Some are clawed, while others use sharp teeth.

It’s not a coordinated army. There will always be a time lag between conflicts.

The first is Ashwolf. A beast so familiar it’s boring. It leaps, using the back of a scrambling raptor as a springboard. It plunges down from above, lashing out with its gaping maw.

Kim only half-extended his right arm, which held the axe. Just as the Ashwolf’s head was about to arrive on the trajectory, he pulled his arm back. In one swift motion, the head and body were separated.

Tongue!

You overlap the falling Ashwolf corpse and smash into the beasts with your shield. Four of them went down in a heap. Before I could finish them off, the raptors were upon me.

It’s hard to the skull, but there’s one soft spot. Kim brought his shield up just in time for the raptor’s jaws to come down. Its head snapped back, revealing its fleshy belly.

Quack!

He sank the axe blade into the flesh. Blood gushed like a fountain. He pulled the axe out and threw it to the right. There was an eerie sound of rupturing flesh.

Without even checking the results, Kim moved on to his next move. He grabbed his shield with both hands and slammed it down on the ground. One by one, the bodies of the monsters he had just defeated exploded.

Kim’s entire body was now drenched in blood. His limbs were splattered with bits of guts. With each step, the beast turned to meat, and the blood clinging to his clothes grew thicker.

A different way to fight. There is no sense of security. The sensation at my fingertips is also something I can’t say enough about.

But it wasn’t impossible.

-Taang!

Gunfire rang out from the building next door.

A single shot pierced the wyrm’s crouching form. A clean shot, without error. It was obvious who had fired.

“Why are you suddenly fucking with him?”

Chelsea clicked her tongue as she mounted her gun on the window sill. Meanwhile, the Lab’s backup agents watched the battle unfold, helpless.

‘……with only three people.’

Tatalia felt like she was dreaming. Of course, the most amazing thing was Asterike’s spell.

‘There are a lot of good people in the labs…….’

That thing was far beyond excellent. A spell so unrealistic that perhaps its sheer combat power would surpass even the most elite agents.

On the other hand, Kim and Chelsea’s strength was not the same as Asterique’s.

“It’s not like he’s fast or strong or anything.

Monsters are tough. Some of them can take a bullet or two and still move.

But now it’s not showing any of that tenacity. Accurate and efficient. He shoots and slashes like a ghost, killing monsters with ease.

All three were monsters in the eyes of the reservists. Tatalia was just about to clear her throat.

“Total.”

“Uh, yeah?”

“Give me the gun.”

Tatalia hesitantly handed over her gun at the hasty instruction, and Chelsea took the empty magazine from her in an exchange.

Chelsea glanced at the gun, then back at the agents. Stupid faces, all of them. She almost missed the three of them left in Kilikia.

“You guys, put your guns down if you’re not going to shoot.”

I don’t expect much from a lunger.

“Sit down, sit down, shovel.”

17 minutes.

The time it took for the battle to end.